Well here is an example of what I mean:



I couldn't make it any bigger because the building is small

sure.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

OK, it's been many years since I did any modelling (and I've never been too good at texturing) but I thought I'd give it a go. Be gentle, this is my first effort in about four years (maybe more)

I put one together for the Arkarian Remler Array, the mixed radiation sensor system and shipyard. No textures just models. Let me know what people think.

The model is in OBJ format, actually made on Milkshape. I've got better modelling progs but I always come back to this simple little prog. Seems so intuitive for most stuff.

http://www.clayspaces.com/videogames/Arkarian%20Remler%20Array.obj

Here is a pic resized. I know, needs a background and texturing before making a pic but I thought I'd throw it in here.



And here's a bigger pic from a different angle.

That does show promise. I used Milkshape back in the day. Since then I moved on to Blender and now Lightwave.

Captain Bashir is also on lightwave so we can now share work and issues. That is really helpful is that user Anti-Distinctlyminty, AKA Luke, has been helping us with some weekend session. Luke is a professional CG animation guy now. His degree in physics also helps with the more technical side of these model programs. He worked on the film Iron Sky that is now in theaters in the EU. If you want to up your game consider getting a student discount copy of lightwave. Bring your model and you can join in. We usually meet in the AM (US west coast) on the weekends. That is afternoon for Anti-D in the UK. We use Skype to talk and teamviewer to see the hosts computer desktop.

Hmm, I think I tried the free Lightwave version a while back, but that was on a different computer. I might try that next weekend again. The model I made was a bit simple in structure (heck only took me an hour and a half to knock it up! One thing Milkshape can't do is negative shapes... ie subtracting shapes from other shapes to make holes.) so could do with refining. You've a physicist on your team? *Grins* Me I'm a CNC machinist/programmer/engineer. Also did clock repairing a while ago too. I'm on the East coast of the US (Florida actually) but hailed originally from Old Briney. Been here ten years now and STILL haven't lost the accent (so I'm told)

I've also got an old copy of 3d Studio Max from ages ago. Never used it much (a friend gave it to me about six years ago) but I'm familiar enough with the main interface on that.

I guess I should add I do pencil sketch artwork, done a fair bit of programming (mostly basic, pascal, C and GML ), and writing if any of that will help.

Well if you can code a 3D combat engine you will be an instant god around here.


This is what I understand is needed:
"If you are a programmer experienced in C# and have a strong background in either AI or 3D graphics with Managed Direct3D (or, even better, the XNA Framework), then we would especially love to talk to you."

Wow. New blood!!!! Ye Haaaaaaa.... You will be assimilated. PM coming

Um, I started one in GML ages ago (Game Maker Language) for a homeworld style game, but GML is not very good on 3D stuff. It's a bit of a make shift add on to a 2D game engine. Had to work on the mouse/3d Environment connect myself as there was no matrix translation from angular mouse coords to intersects with spheres of collision etc. I'm assuming you're using something like C+? The most I ever worked with was C in university (an age ago now!) and I have zero experience with AI scripting. I once tried to do an A* routine, and it just barely worked.

Nuts! I just dug out my old 3D test prog in GML... but it doesn't work in Vista. (at least I'm assuming thats the trouble. Could be the disk is corrupt). I'm going to dig out and reinstall GM and try to recompile (sort of. It's an interpreter not a compiler, but it does make independant executables).

OK, got GM8.0 back up and running and found this old thing. Be aware I did it low res to begin with to keep speed up (this was around 2000/2001 ish. Comps were slower then ) so it looks real crude. It generates a load of ships, half you can control, half you can't. Plus two of them don't move initially ( if you can find them) and these have missile launchers. They can target any of the ships you can't select. (yes, I know, highlighting which was enemies and which friends would have been useful, but I hit problems with this before I refined things far enough for that.)

Holding right mouse and moving the mouse twirls the camera around the current focus. Alt clicking a ship locks the focus on that ship. Holding both mouse buttons and moving up and down zooms in and out. Left clicking selects a ship and hitting 'M' goes to move mode for the ship. When in move mode holding shift down changes the height of the target location. Holding Control down and left clicking fires (for the few ships that have weapons)

You can also store and recall control groups with control and number, or just number key.

http://www.clayspaces.com/videogames/test15-vista.exe

The best thing at this point would be to send a Private Message to user
mstrobel

Mike Strobel is coding the game. He is a professional coder and the game is very demanding. I am guessing he will want someone with more experience but it does not hurt to ask.

If the price of even a student version of Lightwave is too much there is always blender. Blender is free and there are a ton and a half of free tutorials line for it. You could learn to texture and come up with some nice looking models to render for the game.

http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

I am working on some things for Patupi (and will finish soon) but was also inspired by something on Sci-Fi Meshes. I started an Oberth Class science ship. This is what I have done so far. Some details to finish and of course texturing. The Oberth class is actually a very nice design although the lower main hull is DIFFICULT to do (and that's putting it mildly). The sad thing is that the flat detailed portion between the engines has to be completely redone. I made a mistake I can't easily fix.

Nice model, it looks like another adventure in UV mapping

Thanks - Yup I now look forward to it.

Yeah, UV Texturing it always the bit I hate the most about modelling. Good luck Bashir!

Very nice model so far, keep up the great work. I know how it can be to have something stuck half way through. With Milkshape it's a little tougher as it's short on the more advanced form shaping options. Thus it's hard to go back and redo stuff at all without reforming back from a cylinder (usually) once more.

A little progress including the redo of the back section to fix the above mentioned mistake.